


Midnight Snack

by Nathamuel



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Angst, Cuddling & Snuggling, Fluff, Late Night Conversations, M/M, Nightmares, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-23
Updated: 2014-03-23
Packaged: 2018-01-16 18:20:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1357324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nathamuel/pseuds/Nathamuel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For once they had found a secure place to dock and for hours nothing had tried to attack and kill them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Midnight Snack

The Argo was quiet while Jason sat at their dining table in the mess hall all alone with the others sleeping safe and sound in the cabins behind him. For once they had found a secure place to dock and for hours nothing had tried to attack and kill them. It was a novelty. The others did their best to take advantage of that fact but Jason was unable to relax. On the screens mounted on the walls, Camp Half-blood was shown to lie just as quiet and peaceful. 

Jason missed that camp more than he missed Camp Juniper. The thought bothered him but there was nothing he could do about it. Maybe if he returned to New Rome everything would be different but inside he was conflicted. Frowning, he shoved the depressing thoughts aside and looked back down at his food, a plate full of brownies that tasted just like the ones from one of the coffee shop of New Rome. When he had first came to Camp Jupiter from the Lupa's pack it had been one of the first things he had eaten. Camp Jupiter had been his home for so long… 

A slight shuffling noise made Jason look up and he nearly laughed aloud at the sight that greeted his eyes. Nico's clothes were rumpled, his jeans hanging low on his bony hips, and his black hair was even more disheveled than usual. The younger boy was rubbing at his eyes sleepily and a shock went through Jason when he realized that he found it cute. The brownie he held nearly fell from his suddenly slack hand. 

"What?" Nico mumbled defensively at his stare and Jason shook himself from his stupor. 

"Nothing." he lied. "Can't sleep?" 

Jason bit into another brownie, savoring the taste of his old home and watched the way Nico shuffled on the spot and looked to the side. He couldn't figure the son of Hades out. He was always so defensive, always standing apart from their group. It bothered Jason more than he wanted to let on, especially now that he knew his secret and what he had gone through. 

Eventually Nico nodded. "Nightmares… about…" he didn't continue and Jason nodded it understanding. Tartarus. He gestured to the seat opposite him and maybe he was imagining things but he thought that he could see a bit of gratitude under all the suspicion in Nico's eyes. 

"Want one?" Jason asked and Nico stared at him in incomprehension until Jason held up one of his brownies. Gods knew Nico needed all the calories he could. He was still only skin and bones and Jason couldn't help but worry. After a moment's hesitation Nico took the food from his hand and began to nibble on the edge of the cake. He didn't particularly look like he was enjoying himself, more like he was eating only for Jason's sake which made Jason frown at him unhappily. To distract himself Jason bit into his own piece, the plate had stopped refilling itself now that he was sated. 

They sat in awkward silence. 

"You - uh - you can talk to me, you know that? About your nightmares and - and other things." Jason said haltingly and met Nico's eyes. The other boy was glaring at him. 

"I'm not a child. I can take care of myself!" He growled. With the brownie and the rumpled hair and the pillow crease on his face Jason just wanted to hug him. Wait. Where did that thought come from? Jason shook his head to get rid of that image, Nico in his arms, sitting on his lap, and the real Nico's frown depend. It occurred to Jason that maybe Nico had misinterpreted his shaking his head. 

When Nico stood abruptly Jason quickly leaned over the table to grab his arm, crumbling the brownies under his chest in the process. 

"Wait, I don't think you're a child." Jason said. Nico turned his face slightly, an indication that he was listening, but his bangs fell over his eyes, making him even harder to read than usually.

"It's normal to have nightmares. You were in Tartarus. It would be weird if you didn't have them." Jason said. "As for the other. That is normal, too." Nico's mouth was turned down and his skin was cold under Jason's hand. 

"Let me go. I told you that I don't like being touched." he said and Jason let him go like burned. 

"My offer stands." Jason said and watched sadly as Nico stomped from the mess hall. Well. So much for that. Jason sighed. From his plate the crumbled remains of his brownies looked back. 

An hour later found him in front of Nico's room, opposite his own since he was sleeping in Annabeth room for the night ever since Jason had told him that he couldn't keep sleeping in the stables. Jason wasn't quite sure what he was doing or why he was doing what he was doing, namely waiting in front of Nico's door like a creep. He wasn't sure what he was waiting for. He wasn’t sure of a lot of things.

The minutes ticked by and Leo gave him a strangle look when he shuffled past, on his way to the engine room no doubt. Jason glared him into submission when it looked like he wanted to comment and mouthed a 'Not a word!' at him to which Leo waggled his brows. Jason's frown deepened. What was that supposed to mean? He thought as he watched Leo move out of sight.

Then a tiny noise drew his attention back to Nico's door. A moan. Then a little whimper, the noises of a nightmare. 

Slowly, Jason opened the door to the cabin and peaked inside and into the darkness beyond. By the moonlight falling in through the porthole he could just barely make out the narrow frame on the bed that was tossing and turning in the sheets. It was like a fist was squeezing his heart when he heard the terrified noises Nico made. 

Not even a minute had passed when Jason closed the door behind himself and approached the bed. Carefully he knelt down beside it and shook Nico's shoulder who came awake with a strangled scream and if not for his training and reflexes Jason would have been beheaded by the Stygian blade aimed at his head. He quickly ducked and grabbed the thin wrist, catching Nico around the waist before he could bold. 

"It's me, Jason! Calm down! You're safe!" he called out while Nico struggled in his grip. 

"W-what? Jason?" Nico stuttered, his whole body shaking. "W-what are you doing here?" he asked with wide eyes and Jason felt bad. Maybe he should have woken him up differently. Gods, he was such an idiot!

"I heard noises and thought you might need help." he said and carefully let go of the trembling boy when it became apparent that he wouldn't try to shadow travel away. Then something happened that Jason wouldn't have thought possible.

Nico burst into tears, looking as horrified about it as Jason felt. He faced away from Jason, emitting great heaving sobs with his hands clamped over his mouth in a futile attempt to keep himself quiet. 

For a moment Jason felt utterly helpless. Then he shuffled forward and wrapped Nico into his arms. The black-haired boy struggled against him but soon slumped against him like all the fight had gone out of him. 

"You're safe, Nico." Jason whispered and gently maneuvered them so he sat on the bed with Nico between his legs, rocking him. Wetness spread against Jason's chest and he pressed his cheek against the top of Nico's head, humming softly under his breath. The son of Hades felt good in his arms and he couldn't help but press a lingering kiss to his forehead when Nico leaned away and rubbed at his eyes, clearly embarrassed about his outburst.

"Sorry." he sniffled and refused to meet Jason's eyes, ears red.

"It's ok." Jason whispered, strangely reluctant to break the quiet mood. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked and Nico seemed to sink even farther into himself.

"No." he muttered eventually, voice quivering. Jason placed a hand on his shoulder and drew him forward, back into his arms. His thighs were still bracketing Nico's smaller body.

"What are you doing?" Nico asked alarmed and Jason stilled.

"Uh. I'm trying to comfort you?" It came out as a question. Jason could feel his own ears burning. 

"Do you- do you mind?" he asked quietly and another few moments passed before Nico shook his head jerkily. Nico's body was stiff and unyielding in his arms, like he wasn't comfortable at all. Altogether it wasn't the most comfortable position Jason had ever been in either. The wall was hard against his back and sleepiness was slowly creeping up to him. 

Nico stiffened even more, if that was possible, when Jason shifted, moving Nico away from him in the process. 

"What are you doing?" Nico sounded suspicious and his wide, dark eyes gleamed in the darkness. 

"I want to lie down, if that's ok with you." Jason said and drew Nico down beside him, scooting down until they lay side by side. "Is this ok?" he asked and Nico huffed.

"Shut up already." he complained but he came into Jason's arms less reluctantly this time, even though he was still stiff as a board. 

They lay face to face and without thinking about it Jason leaned forward and placed a close-mouthed kiss on Nico's lips. Nico let out an undignified squawk and pulled back so fast he hit his head on the wall behind him. 

"What- why did you do that?" he snarled and Jason rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. 

"I'm, I don't know." he answered and winced at the livid look Nico gave him.

"Are you making fun of me?" Nico demanded, looking like he was ready to hit Jason in the face.

"No!" Jason cried out. "I- it just- it felt right. I don't know why I did that." he stuttered out. Nico looked at him with a mixture of anger and disbelief. 

"Right." he said deadpan. "It just felt right?"

"Yes. Look. I like you." he said and quickly, when Nico looked like he was going to storm out, he added. "That is the truth." Jason heaved a sigh, gripping Nico's upper arm unconsciously.

"I like you and I don't know why I did it. I'm sorry when I made you uncomfortable." he said formally, looking at Nico earnestly. The son of Hades didn't look like he believed him but he didn't seem to want to argue. Just then a giant yawn broke across his face and he blinked at Jason owlishly in surprise, like Jason was somehow at fault for him being tired.

"How-" Jason stopped. "How about we talk about this later, after we've slept?" he asked and Nico looked down at the sheets. Then he nodded.

"And please don't run away." Jason added, smiling when Nico's gaze skipped to him and away again.

"Ok." he said with clear reluctance and Jason pulled him close again.

"Against the nightmares." he explained at Nico's suspicious look. "Is that ok?"

"Yeah. Now shut up, Grace." Nico grumbled and Jason grinned into Nico's hair, squeezing his arms around him affectionately.

A minute later they were both snoring.


End file.
